Divine Office Office of Readings

Feb 23, Invitatory for Monday of the 1st week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Antiphon: 1043 Psalm: 1298 Christian Prayer: Antiphon: 687 Psalm: 820 Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Psalm 67 O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. The earth has yielded its fruit for God, our God, has blessed us. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.

Feb 23, Office of Readings for Monday of the 1st week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1045 Proper of Seasons: 94 Psalter: Monday, Week I, 1102 Office of Readings for Monday of the First Week of Lent God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. HYMN For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r, Sun and moon, and stars of light, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight; Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild; Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For each perfect gift of Thine, to our race so freely given, graces human and divine, flowers of earth and buds of heaven. Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 𝄞"For The Beauty Of The Earth" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NTPV36S/ref=dm_ws_tlw_trk12] • Musical Score [https://divineoffice.org/wp-content/uploads/For-the-Beauty-of-the-Earth.pdf] • Title: For the Beauty of the Earth; Text: Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835–1917; Music: Conrad Kocher, 1786–1872; Tune: DIX; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; (c) 2017 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Show me your mercy, Lord, and keep me safe. Psalm 6 A suffering man cries to God for mercy I am filled with dismay… Father, save me from this hour (John 12:27). Lord, do not reprove me in your anger; punish me not in your rage. Have mercy on me, Lord, I have no strength; Lord, heal me, my body is racked; my soul is racked with pain. But you, O Lord… how long? Return, Lord, rescue my soul. Save me in your merciful love; for in death no one remembers you; from the grave, who can give you praise? I am exhausted with my groaning; every night I drench my pillow with tears; I bedew my bed with weeping. My eye wastes away with grief; I have grown old surrounded by my foes. Leave me, all you who do evil; for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; The Lord will accept my prayer. All my foes will retire in confusion, foiled and suddenly confounded. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Psalm-prayer Lord God, you love mercy and tenderness; you give life and overcome death. Look upon the many wounds of your church; restore it to health by your risen Son, so that it may sing a new song in your praise. Ant. Show me your mercy, Lord, and keep me safe. Ant. 2 The poor are not alone in their distress; God is there to help them. Psalm 9A Thanksgiving for victory You will come again to judge the living and the dead. I I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will recount all your wonders. I will rejoice in you and be glad, and sing psalms to your name, O Most High. See how my enemies turn back, how they stumble and perish before you. You upheld the justice of my cause; you sat enthroned, judging with justice. You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked; you have wiped out their name for ever and ever. The foe is destroyed, eternally ruined. You uprooted their cities; their memory has perished. But the Lord sits enthroned for ever. He has set up his throne for judgment; he will judge the world with justice, he will judge the peoples with his truth. For the oppressed let the Lord be a stronghold, a stronghold in times of distress. Those who know your name will trust you; you will never forsake those who seek you. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. The poor are not alone in their distress; God is there to help them. Ant. 3 I will be the herald of your praises, Lord, where the people of Zion gather. II Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion. Proclaim his mighty works among the peoples, for the Avenger of blood has remembered them, has not forgotten the cry of the poor. Have pity on me, Lord, see my sufferings, you who save me from the gates of death; that I may recount all your praise at the gates of the city of Zion and rejoice in your saving help. The nations have fallen in the pit which they made, their feet caught in the snare they laid. The Lord has revealed himself, and given judgment. The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Let the wicked go down among the dead, all the nations forgetful of God; for the needy shall not always be forgotten nor the hopes of the poor be in vain. Arise, Lord, let men not prevail! Let the nations be judged before you. Lord, strike them with terror, let the nations know they are but men. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Psalm-prayer Lord God, when you judge, do not be deaf to the shouts of the poor; bring havoc to the madness of oppressors. Look at our wounds and save us from the gates of death, so that we may always rejoice in your help and speak your praise in the gates of Zion. Ant. I will be the herald of your praises, Lord, where the people of Zion gather. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. — The kingdom of God is at hand. READINGS First reading From the book of Exodus 6:2-13 Another account of the call of Moses God said to Moses, “I am the Lord. As God the Almighty I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but my name, Lord, I did not make known to them. I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they were living as aliens. And now that I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are treating as slaves, I am mindful of my covenant. “Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the Lord. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and will deliver you from their slavery. I will rescue you by my outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and you shall have me as your God. You will know that I, the Lord, am your God when I free you from the labor of the Egyptians and bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own possession — I, the Lord!” But when Moses told this to the Israelites, they would not listen to him because of their dejection and hard slavery. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go and tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to let the Israelites leave his land.” But Moses protested to the Lord, “If the Israelites would not listen to me, how can it be that Pharaoh will listen to me, poor speaker that I am!” Still, the Lord, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them his orders regarding both the Israelites and Pharaoh, king of Egypt. RESPONSORY See 1 Peter 2:9, 10; see Exodus 6:7, 6 You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation; a people God has made his own. Once you were not his people, but now you are the people of God. — I will adopt you as my own people, and I will be your God. I, your Lord, will free you from Egypt’s slavery; my mighty arm will bring you back. — I will adopt you as my own people, and I will be your God. Second reading From a sermon by Saint Gregory of Nazianzen, bishop Let us show each other God’s generosity Recognize to whom you owe the fact that you exist, that you breathe, that you understand, that you are wise, and, above all, that you know God and hope for the kingdom of heaven and the vision of glory, now darkly as in a mirror but then with greater fullness and purity. You have been made a son of God, co-heir with Christ. Where did you get all this, and from whom? Let me turn to what is of less importance: the visible world around us. What benefactor has enabled you to look out upon the beauty of the sky, the sun in its course, the circle of the moon, the countless number of stars, with the harmony and order that are theirs, like the music of a harp? Who has blessed you with rain, with the art of husbandry, with different kinds of food, with the arts, with houses, with laws, with states, with a life of humanity and culture, with friendship and the easy familiarity of kinship? Who has given you dominion over animals, those that are tame and those that provide you with food? Who has made you lord and master of everything on earth? In short, who has endowed you with all that makes man superior to all other living creatures? Is it not God who asks you now in your turn to show yourself generous above all other creatures and for the sake of all other creatures? Because we have received from him so many wonderful gifts, will we not be ashamed to refuse him this one thing only, our generosity? Though he is God and Lord he is not afraid to be known as our Father. Shall we for our part repudiate those who are our kith and kin? Brethren and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God’s gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God’s justice, and no one will be poor. Let us not labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need. If we do, the prophet Amos will speak out against us with sharp and threatening words: Come now, you that say: When will the new moon be over, so that we may start selling? When will the sabbath be over, so that we may start opening our treasures? Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction. To all earth’s creatures he has given the broad earth, the springs, the rivers and the forests. He has given the air to the birds, and the waters to those who live in the water. He has given abundantly to all the basic needs of life, not as a private possession, not restricted by law, not divided by boundaries, but as common to all, amply and in rich measure. His gifts are not deficient in any way, because he wanted to give equality of blessing to equality of worth, and to show the abundance of his generosity. RESPONSORY Luke 6:35; Matthew 5:45; Luke 6:36 Love your enemies, do good, share freely, and ask for nothing in return. Then you will be true sons of your Father, — who makes his sun shine on the good and the bad, and sends his rain upon honest and dishonest men alike. Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. — Who makes his sun shine on the good and the bad, and sends his rain upon honest and dishonest men alike. CONCLUDING PRAYER Convert us, O God our Savior, and instruct our minds by heavenly teaching, that we may benefit from the works of Lent. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.

Feb 25, Office of Readings for Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1045 Proper of Seasons: 111 Psalter: Wednesday, Week I, 1140 Office of Readings for Wednesday of the First Week of Lent God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. HYMN Brightness of the Father's glory Springing from eternal light, Source of light by light engendered. Day enlightening every day. In your ever-lasting radiance Shine upon us, Christ, true sun, Bringing life to mind and body Through the Holy Spirit's pow'r. Father of unfading glory. Rich in grace and Strong to save. Hear our prayers and come to save us, Keep us far from sinful ways. Dawn is drawing ever nearer, Dawn that brings us all we seek, Son who dwells within the Father, Father uttering one Word. Glory be to God the Father. Glory to his Only Son, Glory now and through all ages To the Spirit Advocate. 𝄞"Brightness of the Father's Glory" by Gabe Bouck, Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NTMZS39/ref=dm_ws_tlw_trk1] • Musical Score [https://divineoffice.org/wp-content/uploads/Brightness-of-the-Fathers-glory.pdf] • Title: Brightness of the Father's Glory; Text: Mount Saint Bernard Abbey; Tune: SHARON by William Boyce, 1710-1799; Artists: Gabe Bouck and Rebecca Hincke; (c) 2016 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 4 PSALMODY Ant. 1 I love you, Lord; you are my strength. Psalm 18:2-30 Thanksgiving for salvation and victory At that time there was a violent earthquake (Revelation 11:13). I I love you, Lord, my strength, my rock, my fortress, my savior. My God is the rock where I take refuge; my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold. The Lord is worthy of all praise; when I call I am saved from my foes. The waves of death rose about me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the snares of the grave entangled me; the traps of death confronted me. In my anguish I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears”. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. I love you, Lord; you are my strength. Ant. 2 The Lord has saved me; he wanted me for his own. II Then the earth reeled and rocked; the mountains were shaken to their base: they reeled at his terrible anger. Smoke came forth from his nostrils and scorching fire from his mouth: coals were set ablaze by its heat. He lowered the heavens and came down, a black cloud under his feet. He came enthroned on the cherubim, he flew on the wings of the wind. He made the darkness his covering, the dark waters of the clouds, his tent. A brightness shone out before him with hailstones and flashes of fire. The Lord thundered in the heavens; the Most High let his voice be heard. He shot his arrows, scattered the foe, flashed his lightnings and put them to flight. The bed of the ocean was revealed; the foundations of the world were laid bare at the thunder of your threat, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your anger. From on high he reached down and seized me; he drew me forth from the mighty waters. He snatched me from my powerful foe, from my enemies whose strength I could not match. They assailed me in the day of my misfortune, but the Lord was my support. He brought me forth into freedom, he saved me because he loved me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. The Lord has saved me; he wanted me for his own. Ant. 3 Lord, kindle a light for my guidance and scatter my darkness. III He rewarded me because I was just, repaid me, for my hands were clean, for I have kept the way of the Lord and have not fallen away from my God. For his judgments are all before me: I have never neglected his commands. I have always been upright before him; I have kept myself from guilt. He repaid me because I was just and my hands were clean in his eyes. You are loving with those who love you: you show yourself perfect with the perfect. With the sincere you show yourself sincere, but the cunning you outdo in cunning. For you save a humble people but humble the eyes that are proud. You, O Lord, are my lamp, my God who lightens my darkness. With you I can break through any barrier, with my God I can scale any wall. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Psalm-prayer Lord God, our strength and salvation, put in us the flame of your love and make our love for you grow to a perfect love which reaches to our neighbor. Ant. Lord, kindle a light for my guidance and scatter my darkness. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Turn back to the Lord and do penance. — Be renewed in heart and spirit. READINGS First reading From the book of Exodus 10:21—11:10 The plague of darkness and the warning of the plague to be visited upon the firstborn The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that over the land of Egypt there may be such intense darkness that one can feel it.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was dense darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days. Men could not see one another, nor could they move from where they were, for three days. But all the Israelites had light where they dwelt. Pharaoh then summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go and worship the Lord. Your little ones, too, may go with you. But your flocks and herds must remain.” Moses replied, “You must also grant us sacrifices and holocausts to offer up to the Lord, our God. Hence, our livestock also must go with us. Not an animal must be left behind. Some of them we must sacrifice to the Lord, our God, but we ourselves shall not know which ones we must sacrifice to him until we arrive at the place itself.” But the Lord made Pharaoh obstinate, and he would not let them go. “Leave my presence,” Pharaoh said to him, “and see to it that you do not appear before me again! The day you appear before me you shall die!” Moses replied, “Well said! I will never appear before you again.” Then the Lord told Moses, “one more plague will I bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. After that he will let you depart. In fact, he will not merely let you go; he will drive you away. Instruct your people that every man is to ask his neighbor, and every woman her neighbor, for silver and gold articles and for clothing.” The Lord indeed made the Egyptians well-disposed toward the people; Moses himself was very highly regarded by Pharaoh’s servants and the people in the land of Egypt. Moses then said, “Thus says the Lord: At midnight I will go forth through Egypt. Every first-born in this land shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh on the throne to the first-born of the slave-girl at the handmill, as well as all the first-born of the animals. Then there shall be loud wailing throughout the land of Egypt, such as has never been, nor will ever be again. But among the Israelites and their animals not even a dog shall growl, so that you may know how the Lord distinguishes between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All these servants of yours shall then come down to me, and prostrate before me, they shall beg me, ‘Leave us, you and all your followers!’ Only then will I depart.” With that he left Pharaoh’s presence in hot anger. The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh refuses to listen to you that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” Thus, although Moses and Aaron performed these various wonders in Pharaoh’s presence, the Lord made Pharaoh obstinate, and he would not let the Israelites leave his land. RESPONSORY Wisdom 18:4; 17:20; 18:1 How well those who enslaved your children deserved to be deprived of light, — for through your children the imperishable light of the law was to be given to the world. On Egypt the deep gloom of night descended, but a radiant light shone for your holy ones. — For through your children the imperishable light of the law was to be given to the world. Second reading From a demonstration by Aphraates, bishop Circumcision of the heart Law and covenant have been entirely changed. God changed the first pact with Adam, and gave a new one to Noah. He gave another to Abraham, and changed this to give a new one to Moses. When the covenant with Moses was no longer observed, he gave another pact in this last age, a pact never again to be changed. He established a new law for Adam, that he could not eat of the tree of life. He gave to Noah the sign of the rainbow in the clouds. He then gave Abraham, chosen for his faith, the mark and seal of circumcision for his descendants. Moses was given the Passover lamb, the propitiation for the people. All these covenants were different from each other. Moreover, the circumcision that is approved by the giver of those covenants is the kind spoken of by Jeremiah: Circumcise your hearts. If God’s pact with Abraham was firm, so also is this covenant firm and trustworthy, nor can any other law be laid down, whether it originates outside the law or among those subject to the law. God gave Moses a law together with his prescriptions and precepts, and when it was no longer kept, he made the law and its precepts of no avail. He promised a new covenant, different from the first, though the giver of both is one and the same. This is the covenant that he promised: All shall know me from the least to the greatest. In this covenant there is no longer any circumcision of the flesh, any seal upon the people. We know, dearly beloved, that God established different laws in different generations which were in force as long as it pleased him. Afterward they were made obsolete. In the words of the apostle: In former times the kingdom of God existed in each generation under different signs. Moreover, our God is truthful and his commandments are most trustworthy. Every covenant was proved firm and trustworthy in its own time, and those who have been circumcised in heart are brought to life and receive a second circumcision beside the true Jordan, the waters of baptism that bring forgiveness of sins. Jesus, son of Nun, renewed the people’s circumcision with a knife of stone when he had crossed the Jordan with the Israelites. Jesus, our Savior, renews the circumcision of the heart for the nations who have believed in him and are washed by baptism: circumcision by the sword of his word, sharper than any two-edged sword. Jesus, son of Nun, led the people across the Jordan into the promised land. Jesus, our Savior, has promised the land of the living to all who have crossed the true Jordan, and have believed and are circumcised in heart. Blessed, then, are those who are circumcised in heart, and have been reborn in water through the second circumcision. They will receive their inheritance with Abraham, the faithful leader and father of all nations, for his faith was credited to him for righteousness. RESPONSORY Hebrews 8:8, 10; 2 Corinthians 3:3 I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. I will put my laws in their minds — and inscribe them on their hearts, not with ink but with the spirit of the living God. I will not write my law upon tablets of stone, but upon the tablets of human hearts. — And inscribe them on their hearts, not with ink but with the spirit of the living God. CONCLUDING PRAYER Look kindly, Lord, we pray, on the devotion of your people, that those who by self-denial are restrained in body may by the fruit of good works be renewed in mind. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. Acclamation (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.

Feb 26, Invitatory for Thursday of the 1st week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Antiphon: 1043 Psalm: 1298 Christian Prayer: Antiphon: 687 Psalm: 820 Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Psalm 67 O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. The earth has yielded its fruit for God, our God, has blessed us. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.

Feb 27, Office of Readings for Friday of the 1st week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1045 Proper of Seasons: 129 Psalter: Friday, Week I, 1176 Office of Readings for Friday of the First Week of Lent God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. HYMN 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me by the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of my enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of my Lord for ever. 𝄞"Psalm 23" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss [https://divineoffice.org/melinda-kirigin-voss/] • Available on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/yesterday-today-and-forever/id418013978] • Text from Psalm 23 King James Version; Used wih permission • Albums that contain this Hymn: Yesterday, Today, and Forever PSALMODY Ant. 1 Rise up, Lord, and come to my aid. Psalm 35:1-2, 3c, 9-19, 22-23, 27-28 The Lord as Savior in time of persecution They came together…and laid their plans to capture Jesus by treachery and put him to death (Matthew 26:3-4). I O Lord, plead my cause against my foes; fight those who fight me. Take up your buckler and shield; arise to help me. O Lord, say to my soul: “I am your salvation.” But my soul shall be joyful in the Lord and rejoice in his salvation. My whole being will say: “Lord, who is like you who rescue the weak from the strong and the poor from the oppressor?” Lying witnesses arise and accuse me unjustly. They repay me evil for good: my soul is forlorn. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. Rise up, Lord, and come to my aid. Ant. 2 All-powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me. II When they were sick I went into mourning, afflicted with fasting. My prayer was ever on my lips, as for a brother, a friend. I went as though mourning a mother, bowed down with grief. Now that I am in trouble they gather, they gather and mock me. They take me by surprise and strike me and tear me to pieces. They provoke me with mockery on mockery and gnash their teeth. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. All-powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me. Ant. 3 My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long. III O Lord, how long will you look on? Come to my rescue! Save my life from these raging beasts, my soul from these lions. I will thank you in the great assembly, amid the throng I will praise you. Do not let my lying foes rejoice over me. Do not let those who hate me unjustly wink eyes at each other. O Lord, you have seen, do not be silent, do not stand afar off! Awake, stir to my defense, to my cause, O God! Let there be joy for those who love my cause. Let them say without end: “Great is the Lord who delights in the peace of his servant.” Then my tongue shall speak of your justice, all day long of your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Psalm-prayer Lord, you rescue the poor from their oppressors, and you rose to the aid of your beloved Son against those who unjustly sought his life. Look on your Church as we journey to you, that the poor and weak may recognize the help you provide and proclaim your saving acts. Ant. My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Turn back to the Lord your God. — He is kind and merciful. READINGS First reading From the book of Exodus 12:21-36 The plague inflicted on the firstborn Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and procure lambs for your families, and slaughter them as Passover victims. Then take a bunch of hyssop, and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin, sprinkle the lintel and the two doorposts with this blood. But none of you shall go outdoors until morning. For the Lord will go by, striking down the Egyptians. Seeing the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over that door and not let the destroyer come into your houses to strike you down. “You shall observe this as a perpetual ordinance for yourselves and your descendants. Thus, you must also observe this rite when you have entered the land which the Lord will give you as he promised. When your children ask you, ‘What does this rite of yours mean?’ you shall reply, ‘This is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt; when he struck down the Egyptians, he spared our houses.’” Then the people bowed down in worship, and the Israelites went and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. At midnight the Lord slew every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh on the throne to the first-born of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the first-born of the animals. Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, for there was not a house without its dead. During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Leave my people at once, you and the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you said. Take your flocks, too, and your herds, as you demanded, and be gone; and you will be doing me a favor.” The Egyptians likewise urged the people on, to hasten their departure from the land; they thought that otherwise they would all die. The people, therefore, took their dough before it was leavened, in their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks on their shoulders. The Israelites did as Moses had commanded: they asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The Lord indeed had made the Egyptians so well-disposed toward the people that they let them have whatever they asked for. Thus did they despoil the Egyptians. RESPONSORY Exodus 12:7, 13; 1 Peter 1:18, 19 The children of Israel shall put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. — This blood will be a sign to you. You have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, the lamb without blemish. — This blood will be a sign to you. Second reading From the Mirror of Love by Saint Aelred, abbot Christ, the model of brotherly love The perfection of brotherly love lies in the love of one’s enemies. We can find no greater inspiration for this than grateful remembrance of the wonderful patience of Christ. He who is more fair than all the sons of men offered his fair face to be spat upon by sinful men; he allowed those eyes that rule the universe to be blindfolded by wicked men; he bared his back to the scourges; he submitted that head which strikes terror in principalities and powers to the sharpness of the thorns; he gave himself up to be mocked and reviled, and at the end endured the cross, the nails, the lance, the gall, the vinegar, remaining always gentle, meek and full of peace. In short, he was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearers he kept silent, and did not open his mouth. Who could listen to that wonderful prayer, so full of warmth, of love, of unshakeable serenity—Father, forgive them—and hesitate to embrace his enemies with overflowing love? Father, he says, forgive them. Is any gentleness, any love, lacking in this prayer? Yet he put into it something more. It was not enough to pray for them: he wanted also to make excuses for them. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. They are great sinners, yes, but they have little judgment; therefore, Father, forgive them. They are nailing me to the cross, but they do not know who it is that they are nailing to the cross: if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory; therefore, Father, forgive them. They think it is a lawbreaker, an impostor claiming to be God, a seducer of the people. I have hidden my face from them, and they do not recognize my glory; therefore, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. If someone wishes to love himself he must not allow himself to be corrupted by indulging his sinful nature. If he wishes to resist the promptings of his sinful nature he must enlarge the whole horizon of his love to contemplate the loving gentleness of the humanity of the Lord. Further, if he wishes to savor the joy of brotherly love with greater perfection and delight, he must extend even to his enemies the embrace of true love. But if he wishes to prevent this fire of divine love from growing cold because of injuries received, let him keep the eyes of his soul always fixed on the serene patience of his beloved Lord and Savior. RESPONSORY Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34 He surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked. — He bore the crimes of many and prayed all the while for sinners. Jesus prayed: Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing. — He bore the crimes of many and prayed all the while for sinners. Concluding Prayer Grant that your faithful, O Lord, we pray, may be so conformed to the paschal observances, that the bodily discipline now solemnly begun may bear fruit in the souls of all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.